Ducky's White Chocolate Chip Cookies

What a great cookie to add to your holiday collection!

Ducky's White Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup margarine or butter, room temperature (1 and 1/2 sticks)*
1/4 cup Crisco Shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use Domino sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (again, Domino sugar is the best)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. That way, the bottom of your cookies will be as pretty as the top. Sounds crazy but it makes a big difference. Your baking rack in the oven should be in the middle; I have two racks and five slots in my oven, so I put them in the middle where I can bake two batches at one time. If you have any doubts, just use one.

Cream together butter and shortening until it's a smooth pale yellow. Add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Both steps should take a few minutes each, and use medium speed on your mixer. Add eggs and extracts, again blending until incorporated.

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Personally, I sift them on one of the pieces of parchment paper but if you don't want to sift them, that's okay. While on low speed, add dry ingredients. Increase speed and mix until you have a smooth batter but do not over mix. Last step - add white chocolate chips and blend one more time.

For jumbo mall type cookies:
Using either a ice cream scoop (mine holds 1/4 cup) or an actual 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop cookie batter on your parchment paper lined cookie sheet; you will be able to get six cookies on each one. Make sure your cookies are spaced nicely - you don't want them to run together. Bake for six minutes; rotate cookie sheet, and bake another six minutes. Every oven heats differently; if your cookies are lightly browned, they are done. If not, set your timer for another 2 minutes and check them again. Mine never take any longer than 15 minutes, and after the initial 12 minutes check frequently - they can over bake quickly. Remove from the oven, wait two minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

For smaller cookies:
Use the same technique above, but use a small ice cream scoop (mine holds one tablespoon) or a tablespoon. You can get 12 cookies on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

* The margarine I use comes from Kroger: the front of the box says 'Great for Baking.' But what makes it perfect for cookies is the fact it's 80% vegetable oil. If you aren't using butter or the Kroger brand, read the label very carefully - you need to have at least 65% vegetable oil.

Ducky's White Chocolate Chip Cookies

What a great cookie to add to your holiday collection!

Ducky's White Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup margarine or butter, room temperature (1 and 1/2 sticks)*
1/4 cup Crisco Shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use Domino sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (again, Domino sugar is the best)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. That way, the bottom of your cookies will be as pretty as the top. Sounds crazy but it makes a big difference. Your baking rack in the oven should be in the middle; I have two racks and five slots in my oven, so I put them in the middle where I can bake two batches at one time. If you have any doubts, just use one.

Cream together butter and shortening until it's a smooth pale yellow. Add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Both steps should take a few minutes each, and use medium speed on your mixer. Add eggs and extracts, again blending until incorporated.

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Personally, I sift them on one of the pieces of parchment paper but if you don't want to sift them, that's okay. While on low speed, add dry ingredients. Increase speed and mix until you have a smooth batter but do not over mix. Last step - add white chocolate chips and blend one more time.

For jumbo mall type cookies:
Using either a ice cream scoop (mine holds 1/4 cup) or an actual 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop cookie batter on your parchment paper lined cookie sheet; you will be able to get six cookies on each one. Make sure your cookies are spaced nicely - you don't want them to run together. Bake for six minutes; rotate cookie sheet, and bake another six minutes. Every oven heats differently; if your cookies are lightly browned, they are done. If not, set your timer for another 2 minutes and check them again. Mine never take any longer than 15 minutes, and after the initial 12 minutes check frequently - they can over bake quickly. Remove from the oven, wait two minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

For smaller cookies:
Use the same technique above, but use a small ice cream scoop (mine holds one tablespoon) or a tablespoon. You can get 12 cookies on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

* The margarine I use comes from Kroger: the front of the box says 'Great for Baking.' But what makes it perfect for cookies is the fact it's 80% vegetable oil. If you aren't using butter or the Kroger brand, read the label very carefully - you need to have at least 65% vegetable oil.

Martha's Breakfast Casserole for the Holidays

Martha's Breakfast Casserole

12 slices white bread (for a clean cut appearance, you can trim the crusts)
1/4 cup butter softened
1 lb. roll sausage, browned and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I occasionally use 3 cups)
4 eggs
3 cups of milk

Spread softened butter on bread. Lay 6 slices butter side up in a greased casserole dish, I use a 9x13. Sprinkle half the sausage and half the cheese. Repeat layers. Whisk eggs and milk together, and pour over layers, making sure every thing is saturated. Cover and chill overnight. Bake the next morning at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes.

Southern Style Green Beans for a Crowd

The summer calls for a lot of potluck dishes, but cooking for a crowd can be expensive. Not only is this dish friendly on your wallet, it will feed 25-30 people.

It's not the healthiest, I'll agree with you. But it's one of those things while it's cooking, I can close my eyes and for only a moment I'm there with the family I miss so much. And everything in moderation.

1 Food Service can of Green Beans (usually around 101 ounces and I use blue lake)

3 cups water

3 teaspoons of chicken base (or 3 bullion cubes)

3 slices bacon, diced

2 tablespoons minced dried onion (of half an onion diced)

1 stick of butter

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarter sections (optional)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Drain the green beans in a colander, rinse well. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, add beans with the rest of the ingredients making sure the potatoes are arranged on top. Add a little salt and pepper to the top of the potatoes, but be careful about adding the salt to the beans - the chicken base and bacon will provide a lot of flavor and it's easy to over-season. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for about 30-45 minutes. You can transfer to a crock pot on low to serve. While it's cooking, watch your water - depending on how it simmers, you might need to add a bit more water.

Or you can do what I do; fix it on Sunday, break down in dinner sized portions for your family. You can even freeze them.

I love to get a serving of green beans, and dice a few slices of tomato on top. Best thing ever! Of course, as a young girl green beans were from the farm to our table. I have such great memories of snapping beans (half runners!) by the bushel, having great talks with my grandmother. And while I know fresh is best, I don't want that to let you keep it from making this recipe.

Ducky's White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why spend a fortune on mall-type cookies when you can make them at home? My teenage boys are on summer break so I make cookies and after they cool, each one goes in its own individual zip lock bag (I get them on sale, 50 bags for .99) Can't eat all the cookies? Freeze them right in the zip lock bag. They thaw in 30 minutes or less. Want to freeze the batter? Complete the steps but stop before you bake them. Put the cookie sheet with the portioned cookies in the freezer making sure the cookies are not touching (you don't want to break them apart to bake.) Freeze solid, and place in a zip lock freezer bag. When you are ready to bake them, take how many you want to bake and set on your kitchen counter to thaw a little while your oven is preheating. Frozen dough might take one or two minutes longer to bake.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup margarine or butter, room temperature (1 and 1/2 sticks)*
1/4 cup Crisco Shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use Domino sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (again, Domino sugar is the best)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. That way, the bottom of your cookies will be as pretty as the top. Sounds crazy but it makes a big difference. Your baking rack in the oven should be in the middle; I have two racks and five slots in my oven, so I put them in the middle where I can bake two batches at one time. If you have any doubts, just use one.

Cream together butter and shortening until it's a smooth pale yellow. Add both sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Both steps should take a few minutes each, and use medium speed on your mixer. Add eggs and extracts, again blending until incorporated.

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Personally, I sift them on one of the pieces of parchment paper but if you don't want to sift them, that's okay. While on low speed, add dry ingredients. Increase speed and mix until you have a smooth batter but do not over mix. Last step - add white chocolate chips and blend one more time.

For jumbo mall type cookies:
Using either a ice cream scoop (mine holds 1/4 cup) or an actual 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop cookie batter on your parchment paper lined cookie sheet; you will be able to get six cookies on each one. Make sure your cookies are spaced nicely - you don't want them to run together. Bake for six minutes; rotate cookie sheet, and bake another six minutes. Every oven heats differently; if your cookies are lightly browned, they are done. If not, set your timer for another 2 minutes and check them again. Mine never take any longer than 15 minutes, and after the initial 12 minutes check frequently - they can over bake quickly. Remove from the oven, wait two minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

For smaller cookies:
Use the same technique above, but use a small ice cream scoop (mine holds one tablespoon) or a tablespoon. You can get 12 cookies on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

* The margarine I use comes from Kroger: the front of the box says 'Great for Baking.' But what makes it perfect for cookies is the fact it's 80% vegetable oil. If you aren't using butter or the Kroger brand, read the label very carefully - you need to have at least 65% vegetable oil.

Watergate Salad

This is a nice quick salad to make for St. Patrick's Day - it's easy, very retro and trust me, everybody loves it.

20 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped nuts
12 oz carton heavy whipping cream, whipped until soft peaks*
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 box instant pistachio pudding mix.

Fold all the ingredients together. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. Give it a quick stir before you serve.

* You can use a 16 oz tub of the whipped topping if you like

I'm allergic to fruit...FRUIT! Mock Apple Pie / In honor of Raising Hope

I make this every time we watch a new episode of Raising Hope. It makes for a great viewing party!

Jimmy's Pie (I'm allergic to fruit....FRUIT! Mock Apple Pie

1 Box of ready made pie crust (you'll need both sheets)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, slightly broken
1 3/4 cups of water
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

According to package directions, roll one pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan. Set the other aside. Put cracker pieces in the bottom of the pie crust, sit aside.

In heavy sauce pan, add water, sugar, and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let cool.

Pour cooled mixture over crackers, dot with margarine and sprinkle with cinnamon. Put the other crust on top, crimp the edges to seal and put a few small slits in the top so the steam can escape. Bake about 25 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

Enjoy!